Stories for April 2014

Friday, April 25th 2014 - 06:11 UTC
Uruguayans don't approve the marihuana bill, but are prepared to give it a chance, says poll

A majority of Uruguayans (64%) are against the bill that legalizes growing and selling marihuana, but 51% are willing to wait and see if the system works before having it rejected, according to the latest public opinion poll released on Thursday. The bill was passed in parliament last December but only with the support from the ruling coalition.
Friday, April 25th 2014 - 06:04 UTC
After a long debate, Argentine Congress approves Repsol/YPF agreement terms

After a 16-hour debate, Argentina's Lower House passed the law to pay Spanish Repsol 5 billion dollars in bonds to compensate for the 2012 seizure of a majority stake in Argentina's energy company YPF.
Friday, April 25th 2014 - 05:56 UTC
Argentina's poverty index closer to “25% than to the official 5% from Indec”

Argentina's stats office, Indec failed on Wednesday to deliver the country's poverty and indigence rates due to “methodological” reasons, the head of ministers explained on Thursday morning adding the measurement of the basic basket “differs totally” from CPI’s calculations. His comments triggered a cataract of criticisms.
Friday, April 25th 2014 - 05:51 UTC
Argentina: Macri suggests to the Broad Front 'an agreement after the presidential election'

Buenos Aires City Mayor Mauricio Macri rejected on Thursday rumours suggesting a political alliance with the left leaning Broad Front UNEN, born this week and called for its leaders to seek an agreement for “after the (presidential) elections,” in 2015.
Friday, April 25th 2014 - 05:45 UTC
Lay-offs hit Brazilian auto industry following advancing drop in sales

Volkswagen said on Thursday it will lay off 900 autoworkers at two Brazilian plants, one of the biggest recent efforts to cut output in the face of sluggish demand for cars in Latin America's largest economy. Brazil is the No. 4 market for Volkswagen after China, Germany and the United States.
Friday, April 25th 2014 - 05:41 UTC
Mantega confident that this year the 'the villain factor' in inflation is contained

Ever-optimistic Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega said a recent rise in consumer prices was expected, ('there's always a villain factor pushing inflation')' anticipating that in May/June the index will be lower. Mantega also denied local news reports that the government was seeking a change in the index methodology as a way to eliminate the impact of volatile food prices.
Friday, April 25th 2014 - 05:36 UTC
Latin America's fast growing decade is coming to an end, anticipates IMF report

The IMF’s Regional Economic Outlook for the Western Hemisphere, released on Thursday in Lima, Peru, projects regional growth of 2½ percent in 2014, down from 2¾ percent in 2013. Weak investment and subdued demand for the region’s exports held back activity in 2013, as did increasingly binding supply bottlenecks in a number of economies. For 2015, the IMF projects a modest pickup, to 3%.
Friday, April 25th 2014 - 05:31 UTC
Brazil investigating potential case of atypical mad cow disease in Matto Grosso

Brazil is investigating a potential case of atypical mad cow disease, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday, just over a year after several countries banned Brazilian beef imports when a similar case of the disease was confirmed.
Friday, April 25th 2014 - 01:09 UTC
Falkland Islanders travelling on air-bridge April 16 and 18 will be refunded

Falkland Islanders that travelled on the South Atlantic air-bridge (Brize Norton-MPA and MPA-Brize Norton) on 16 and 18 April will be refunded since a non civilian-registered aircraft was involved, but will have to pay a £150 booking fee in order to support the government's policy of subsidizing air-bridge fares.
Thursday, April 24th 2014 - 08:11 UTC
Argentine and China reaffirm close trade and political links

Argentine President Cristina Fernández received on Wednesday China’s Foreign Ministry Wang Yi and signed several trade agreements, including aerospace infrastructure at the Government House, Buenos Aires City. During the meeting, the president was accompanied by Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich, Economy Minister Axel Kicillof, Federal Planning Minister Carlos Julio De Vido and Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman, with whom Wang Yi had a previous meeting.